A Shotgun Wedding
by Unmei Hime
Summary: AU. They say they are just friends. Both having their own love interests. Hitomi is in love with Dilandau while Van with Celena. However, one fateful night happened that vastly changed their lives forever. ON HIATUS.
1. A Fateful Night

**A/n:** Yey! Another esca fic! Though this one is quite different, kind of an AU P. But nonetheless hope many will like this -. I plan on having ten chapters at the most of this story but depends on the reviews that I'll receive. 'Coz I'm still working on my other fic Remember Forever, updates will tend to take long (gee it's really hard being a writer (-.-;) ) so please bear with me minna!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Escaflowne

**A SHOTGUN WEDDING**

**By Unmei Hime**

_**Summary: They say they were friends. Hitomi is like the sister that Van never had. Likewise for Hitomi, Van is the big brother image she longed for. And they both have their own separate love interests to be greatly concerned about--- Hitomi is in love with Dilandau and Van with Celena. However, one fateful night happened to the both of them that vastly changed their lives forever.....**_

**__**

**Chapter 1: A Fateful Night**

****

Hitomi woke up with excruciating pain in her head as if a big hammer was pounding it to pieces and tons of heavy lead weights were put side by side on top of her skull.She forced her eyes open and blinked dazedly, trying her best to focus, but her vision was blurry, and she was seeing two of everything, one superimposed over the other. Blinking again, she sighed, the images were becoming clearer. Now she could recognize the ceiling and the square lamp in the middle of it.

_'Hangover,'_ was the first word that came to her mind.

With all the energy she could muster, she tried to pull herself up to sit. But her eyes widened in utter shock at the discovery that the only thing covering her body was a thin sheet that nearly slipped off with her movements. Closing her eyes again, she heaved a deep breath, _'Don't panic Hitomi, stay calm. Perhaps you're just imagining things,'_ she told herself.

After a minute and much contemplation, hesitantly she opened her eyes once again only to find out that nothing had changed. She was still clad in a thin sheet with specifically nothing on! Panic and fear were settling in and beginning to spread fast through her, eating her whole.

"Wh--what happened? Was I raped or something? This is insane! How did this---?"

Quickly, her eyes roamed the room she was in. The room was a cluttered mess; with large posters of different expensive cars pinned on the walls, and a collection of various gundam robots displayed in one corner. She figured it was definitely not her room.

"Wait a minute! Car posters and gundam robots! VAN! This is Van's room!" Her mind was screaming at the sight.

Pulling herself from her panic-stricken thoughts, she glanced at her left as a sudden movement and mumbling sound caught her attention. What she saw made her eyes widen even more and her mouth to go agape. Van was lying flat on his stomach with his face on the side and his raven locks even more unruly and rumpled. He was stretching his arm and trying to hug Hitomi's belly, seemingly contented in his sleep.

All the blood in Hitomi's veins began to boil. Her temper started rising into uncontrollable wrath and rage, ready to explode at any moment.

"VAN!!! Wake up! You abominable creature! Wake up! What did you do to me?!"

With her right hand, she tried to shake him vigorously, while her other hand was holding the sheet securely so it wouldn't slip off her form. After a few minutes of futile attempts to awaken the person responsible for what she thought was the most unforgivable act anybody could do to her- "That does it!" Clenching her fist, she landed a hard punch to his right cheek, propelled by all the anger and rage within her.

Van's head abruptly sprang up from the sudden pain, his eyes snapped open. "What the heck?" His face was contorted with irritation and anger towards whoever it was that had awakened him up from his peaceful sleep.

"Hitomi? What are you doing here?" Confusion and puzzlement replaced his frown as he recognized the girl beside him.

"I was gonna ask the same thing! What am I doing here? What did you do to me you jerk! You---you moron!" Hitomi shouted and Van flinched in surprise.

Van tried to sit up but was immediately shocked upon learning that both of them were under the same thin sheet that hid their bare bodies from view. "What in the world---?"

"You raped me, Van! And you're gonna pay for this! I'll sue you and make sure you rot in hell!" Hitomi's green eyes were blazing with fury and her body was shaking immensely.

"Wait a minute! I don't know what you're talking about, Hitomi! And by gods! I didn't rape you. I'm not in the habit of forcing girls into my bed! And you of all people should know that!" Van retorted indignantly.

Just then Hitomi burst into tears. Wild sobs began racking her body. She knew that. She knew what Van said was true. Deep in her heart, she believed he couldn't do that to her, let alone treat her like one of his past girlfriends.

Damn! Talk about being the best of friends! They had known each other since time immemorial. And every little secret they had was not hidden from each other's knowledge.

Hitomi knew so very well how Van was with girls. With his handsome face and his lean body to die for, he looked like one of those guy models who stepped out right from the front covers of popular fashion magazines. Even though he was barely eighteen of age, women of various kinds—---young or old, naïve or sophisticated, witty or serious, pretty or average---they were practically his for the asking; even begging him on their knees. He even had this flavor-of-the-month thing with them. Not a single relationship of his had she known to last at least a few weeks. He'd pick one girl, spend some time with her, then dump her the minute he felt she wasn't the one. That was usually the case until he came across Celena, his latest girlfriend whom he told her was the one he felt he'd been looking for and would spend the rest of his life with.

_'But if he's in love with her like he told me he is..... Then why did this thing happen?'_

"We're friends damn it!" she didn't notice she had said that out loud.

"Yes we are," Van replied quietly. His head was bowed, eyes cast downwards. Confusion, anger, fear, and a kind of guilt were flooding inside him.

"What happened, Van?" Hitomi asked in a muttered voice.

"I don't know, Hitomi. We were just drinking last night. You were telling me how upset you were with the way things are going with you and Dilandau. I guess we got too drunk and then....." Van trailed off, trying to search his memory for the events that had occurred in the past hours of the night before.

Hitomi found herself lost in her own reverie......

* * *

Hitomi had showed up at Van's doorstep earlier that evening, carrying a plastic bag of beer cans and wine bottles she had bought from a convenience store nearby. Judging by the upset look on her face and being the good friend that he was, Van immediately invited her in and led her to his room where they could talk and drink without the risk of being noticed by his parents or his brother. Only after emptying two cans of beers did Hitomi spill out what was bothering her.

"Van, tell me. Why is it that you guys often want us girls to prove our feelings for you by asking if we could give up our chastity and make love with you? Why is it always the case huh?" Hitomi asked in a slurred voice, before taking another gulp from her can of beer. She was sitting lazily on a love seat near the window while Van was nonchalantly lying on his side by the bed.

"Well, I think that has something to do with the guy being insecure about the girl's feelings. Most guys want a firm assurance that the girl is theirs alone," Van tried his best to give a reliable answer.

"I think that's nothing but crap! That doesn't justify anything!" Hitomi exclaimed as anger flashed in her eyes.

Van was alarmed by Hitomi's sudden outburst and he eyed her dubiously. _'Something is definitely wrong with her.'_ He got up from his position and squatted beside her.

"What is it, Hitomi? Did something happen with you and that idiot boyfriend of yours?" Van questioned. His voice was calm but his eyes mirrored a rising anger for the albino, who had been Hitomi's boyfriend for the past few months. Ever since he had met that Dilandau, he never had trusted him. Given that he has good looks and all, still Van didn't trust the mischievous glint in his eyes.

Van had always been protective of Hitomi. She was like the little sister he never had although he was only a year older than her. Long since they were children, he had had this feeling that he should protect her, not that Hitomi had asked him to, but for him, it was his responsibility to look after her welfare and take good care of her even until now.

"Don't call him that! Dilandau is not an idiot, Van!" Hitomi said defensively. Then lowering her voice as though talking to herself, she added, "After all, I still love him....."

"Tell me what he did to you, Hitomi," he asked quietly. Even though he didn't approve of Dilandau as Hitomi's boyfriend, he couldn't change how she felt for him. Come hell and high water, Hitomi would defend her good-for-nothing boyfriend no matter what.

"It's really not that much....." Hitomi answered with a look of apprehension.

Van shook his head. "Hitomi, you wouldn't be this upset if it wasn't THAT MUCH, would you?"

"Okay! But promise me first you won't get mad."

"I won't get mad if there's nothing to be mad about."

Hitomi steadied herself and breathed in deeply before gathering all her courage to tell Van about everything that had happened that day, while he listened intently beside her.

"We had a huge fight..... Dilandau brought me into a--- a--- mo-- motel and asked me that if I truly love him then there's no reason we couldn't do that thing that most lovers do......" Hitomi was afraid to look at Van's reaction, but she could feel the tension in his gaze.

"Don't tell me....." Van said with gritted teeth.

"Of course, I refused! I told him that I have my own beliefs and principles that I'm adhering to, and not engaging in pre-marital sex is one of them....."

"Good. I thought you'd be foolish enough to....."

Hitomi immediately cut him off. "How dare you say that!" Her eyes were sending daggers toward Van's direction.

"Ok I'm sorry. I admit that was kinda harsh." Van raised his hands in surrender. "So then....?"

"An angry argument between us followed. In the end, Dilandau furiously gave me an ultimatum that if we don't do IT the next time, then we better call it quits." Hitomi ended, choking back the tears that began welling up in her eyes. One of the things she hated was being a cry baby, but right now she couldn't help it, much as she wanted to.

"Damn that idiot Dilandau!" Van cursed under his breath. His fists clenched fiercely, thinking that if only Dilandau was there at the moment Van would beat his lungs out of him. "That idiot has no right to force you into something you don't want to---"

"Van....." Hitomi interrupted, stretching out the word.

But Van ignored her. "Forget about Dilandau, Hitomi. You could find someone better than him."

"Easier said than done," Hitomi mumbled bitterly.

Van looked straight at Hitomi, trying to assess her from head to foot. She wasn't that bad. Actually, she was pretty. Not glamorous in a high maintenance way like his former girlfriends, but attractive in her own right. With those deep emerald green eyes that emitted a warm feeling, she could break the heart of any man. And though she always wore her hair in a bob-cut style, her face radiated freshness and innocence like that of a child. As for her body; before, she had been so skinny that no matter how much food she ate, she just wouldn't gain weight. But looking at her now, he must admit the years had done some good on her. She no longer seemed like a long stick brought to life. Her body had blossomed into having such curves he never thought she'd have.

"What are you staring at, Van?" Hitomi asked in puzzlement, startling Van out of his thoughts.

"Nothing. It's just that I didn't seem to notice how you've changed physically these past few years. The ugly duckling is now a beautiful swan, eh? You're no longer the Japanese counterpart of Olive Oyle," he replied teasingly.

Hitomi smacked him in the face. "I hate you!" Van always used to make fun about her being the Japanese and younger version of Popeye's love interest, Olive Oyle, in their favorite t.v show when they were little. It pissed her off even now.

Van laughingly backed out. "Hey! I was just joking!"

"Don't you dare call me Olive Oyle ever again, Van!" Hitomi threatened, her hand curled up into a hard fist before his face. "Let's just drink, ok? I intend to get drunk. Perhaps I can escape my misery for just a while," she said sternly and grabbed another can of beer.

"Hitomi! I'll strangle your neck if you let yourself get wallowed in self pity." A warning note was visible in Van's tone.

"Okay! Okay! Big brother Van!"

Hours passed until neither of them noticed that they'd drank the last drop of alcohol from numerous cans and bottles.

Everything after that went blurry.

* * *

_'I hate myself!_'Hitomi silently screamed to herself. There were flashes in her mind of what happened between her and Van but she was unable to picture the whole thing. Maybe because thinking about them making love was just too absurd a thought for her. Or perhaps she just couldn't accept the fact that they'd done it just like that- a trifling matter, like no big deal.

"Damn! It concerns me! My whole life!" Hitomi pounded her fists against her knees as tears continued flowing down her cheeks.

"Hitomi....." Van tried to hug her but Hitomi hurriedly backed away.

"Don't touch me, Van. Please." Her voice pleaded.

"God! What do you think I feel about this matter! I don't know what to think anymore!"

"Let's just forget it ever happened, Van. It was an ACCIDENT. Just an accident....."

* * *

Thanks for reading! How do you like it so far ? Oh please let me know what you think.


	2. Reality Bites

**Chapter 2: Reality Bites**

Van was stupefied. Yes, they were drunk, unaware of their actions, vulnerable to doing stupid things. But to treat what happened like an accident...would that be the best way to deal with it?

Perhaps.

However, given it was the most foolish mistake they've ever done in their entire life, almost next to impossible if only they were in their sane minds- they still couldn't ignore the fact that it had happened to the both of them, who had nothing but a plain platonic relationship. That would always be at the back of their minds. At least for him.

Even though he couldn't recall it clearly, the tangible evidence was there, shouting right before their eyes. They were both naked, their clothes scattered almost in every corner of his room, undeniably giving the impression that they did the unthinkable just hours ago.

"We can't pretend it didn't happen..." he muttered almost to himself, his hands cupping his aching head. What he wouldn't give just to wake up from this seeming nightmare.

Hitomi's eyes snapped back at him. "Damn it, Van! What do you want me to do huh? It's not as if you already impregnated me!"

"But what if I did? It's a common possibility, Hitomi," Van said anxiously, running his fingers through his raven hair in sheer desperation.

"No, Van!" It took all Hitomi's effort to restrain her hands from banging Van's head against the wall._ 'Kami, give me the strength not to murder this person in front of me,' _she silently prayed. Her patience with Van was quickly evaporating into thin air.

"Don't tell me you're going to abort our baby! I won't allow you! Not a chance!" Van shot back in a harsh tone. He felt a sudden surge of anger just thinking about it.

"Goodness, Van! What's got into you? You're exaggerating, like I'm not the only girl you've---"

"I don't remember using any protection....." Van tersely interjected.

With that remark, Hitomi found herself staring blankly at him, looking as if she would lose her sanity any minute. Such is the irony of her so-called life. She lost her most valued virginity not to her boyfriend, but to her best friend - of all people who ever walked on Earth! Her quote unquote beliefs and principles had gone straight into the waste bin. What would Dilly do to her once this came to his knowledge? The mere possibilities caused goose bumps to violently pop out in her skin. And to make matters even worse, she was facing the possibility of one situation she herself loathed and never imagined dealing with ----a teenage mother!

"Why did this have to happen, Van? Why me? I've done nothing wrong to deserve this!"

Hitomi cried in such helplessness that Van wanted to bury himself alive. If only he could undo everything, if only he hadn't invited her into his bedroom, if only he hadn't let himself get so drunk...if only.....

Just then, a sudden knocking on the door jolted them both from their wandering thoughts. Warning bells started ringing in their minds as they moved with terrifying panic unbeknownst to them. Van hurriedly tried to find his boxer shorts amidst all the mess scattered on the floor. Hitomi abruptly buried herself in the bed, pulled the linen sheet up to her head, and hoped against hope that she would stay unnoticed.

With only a second later, the door revealed whoever was behind it.

"Van, Hitomi's parents are----" Van's mother, Varie, was taken aback. Her eyes widened simultaneously with her mouth in utter shock and disbelief. Who wouldn't be when you found your all grown-up son in a very uncompromising situation---completely adorned with nothing but his birthday suit while he crawled on the carpeted floor, his head under the bed? And what was that piece of cloth hanging by his study table? Was that a brassiere?

"W -what's the meaning of this, Van?"

Van cursed silently, blaming the fates for his mom's perfect timing. "Just great! My misfortunes are far from over," he mumbled sarcastically.

In slow motion, he pulled his head reluctantly from under the bed and readied himself to face his sorrowful humiliation from the eyes of his own mother. His hands moved frantically, grabbing the first piece of material to cover his lower half and willed himself to stand up.

"Morning, Mom! What's up?" he greeted cheerfully, putting on his most adorable smile.

Van witnessed the vein that ticked in his mother's jaw; her sweet face transformed into that of a tigress. He knew at that minute that his attempts of escaping his mother's wrath were futile. He knew better than to think he could get away that easy.

There was nothing he could do but to close his eyes and wait for the inevitable, as he started his silent countdown.

_'Three....'_

"Van, I will ask you one more time."

_'Two.....'_

"And you better give me a good answer this time."

_'One.....'_

"Tell-me-the-meaning-of-this!!! Van Slanzar Fanel!" Varie shouted at the top of her lungs, banging the door closed behind her and shaking the entire house. The feigned innocence in Van's voice caused her calm nerves to turn into a building anger. Not ever would she tolerate this façade of nonchalance coming from her son, who was obviously desperate to hide his illicit act.

Van took a step back. He was getting scared with every passing second, never had he seen his mother this mad. Her eyes were blazing with unrelenting fury. "Mom, please calm down.....You'll wake the whole neighborhood," his voice pleaded, as he continued on stepping backwards while his mother was taking steps towards him.

"I won't calm down until you answer my question, Van!" Varie's eyes were in slits. "And you, young lady, whoever you are come out now before I pull you out from that bed!"

From under the sheets, Hitomi let out a gasp of horror. She thought she would be spared the same agony and humiliation Van was gravely suffering at the moment. _'Now Hitomi, you can do this. Just explain to Van's mother everything.'_ Hitomi tried desperately to psych herself. Gathering all her courage, she removed the sheet from her face, settled it to her chest, and moved herself up.

"H–hitomi?" Varie was shocked.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Varie," Hitomi whispered, her head bowed. She couldn't meet her eyes.

"Hitomi, I didn't think you and Van were---"

"We're not, Mom," Van cut in. He was cornered between the foot of the bed and his mother.

"Shut up, Van, Hitomi is the one I'm asking right now," Varie spoke with an angry voice, her gaze not leaving Hitomi.

"We got drunk, Aunt Varie, a-and we.....didn't know what we did 'til we woke up this morning," Hitomi explained.

Varie heaved a deep breath, trying to calm the anger that had burst a while ago. "Do you know the consequences and complications of this?" she asked both of them.

"W-we didn't intend this to happen, Aunt Varie."

Varie sighed. "Your parents are looking for you, Hitomi. They were worried when you didn't go home last night."

Hitmi's eyes widened. "My parents?"

"Yes, and they're downstairs."

"How am I going to face them?" Hitomi asked, face filled with deep worry.

"Hurry up and get dressed. We will discuss what we're going to do about this matter when both you and Van are decent enough," Varie said in dismissal. She turned around and started walking towards the door.

Then, as if remembering something, she looked back.

"Van, get rid of that baseball glove you're holding. It's pretty old and dirty. Buy a new one if you must."

Van looked down in embarrassment. Hitomi couldn't help the little smile that tugged her lips in spite of herself, as she shifted her gaze to Van and noticed for the first time how ridiculous he looked with the said baseball glove.

* * *

"What!!!!!!" Natsumi Kanzaki, Hitomi's mother, asked in absolute shock and alarm, which made her quickly spring up from her seat. Yuuji Kanzaki remained seated and didn't say a word, his face void of any expression. Varie and Goau Fanel stayed silent.

Van and Hitomi were sitting in the living room with their parents, their face cast downwards. They had just finished explaining to the four people in front of them what had happened last night and what they'd found out this morning in a subtle, careful manner, wishing their parents would take it lightly. To no avail.

"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad," Hitomi apologized, her voice low. Tears were brimming her eyes.

"You disappoint us, Hitomi. We thought you were responsible enough not to engage in something like this," Yuuji Kanzaki said in a calm tone, but Hitomi instinctively knew he was just trying to control his anger.

"I didn't make this choice, Dad. Everything that happened was way out of my control. We were drunk....."

"What if you become pregnant?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"Mom....."

"We can't let you get pregnant without a husband, Hitomi," her father said with gritted teeth. Then, turning his face towards Van and his parents, "You will marry my daughter, Van, and I won't take no for an answer."

"Wait a minute, Yuuji," Van's mother interceded. "Don't you think they're too young for marriage? They're still just children for goodness sake. They haven't even finished high school yet."

"They have to suffer the consequences of their actions, "Mr. Kanzaki replied sternly. Then he added rather more seriously, "I don't want our family's long time friendship broken by your refusal, Varie."

A long deafening silence enveloped the four corners of the living room. Van's father finally spoke up.

"Van will marry Hitomi, Yuuji, whether he likes it or not. The wedding will be set as soon as possible," Goau Fanel said quietly.

"Goau....." Varie whispered. Looking at her husband's serious face, she knew he had already made the decision and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Its settled then," Yuuji answered, his voice cold and calculating.

Van and Hitomi just sat there, their expressions petrified.

* * *

****

**A/n:** Things are getting pretty tough for both Van and Hitomi eh? Well, more are in store for them in the coming chapters! Though, sad to say, chapter three will be out maybe in the last week of this month 'coz I need to buy time to study for my forthcoming exams (--;) Gomen ne minna, but I promise chapter three will be worth the long wait ! Now, please don't forget to review and tell me what you think folks! Ja ne!!!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Escaflowne

**Coming Soon:** Chapter Three: Breaking Up is Hard to Do


	3. Breaking Up is Hard to Do

**Chapter 3: Breaking Up is Hard to Do**

"You can't possibly do this!"

Hitomi didn't quiver one bit as all eyes in that living room snapped their gazes on her. She had pulled herself up and said that out loud. Her voice was filled with implacable protest and fierce opposition of the way their parents had dealt with their 'unprecedented crime'. No, she wouldn't just sit there and let them run and control her life like she was a puppet doll of some sort.

"And what deemed you to say such things, Hitomi?" Her father asked. His face was a cold blank mask.

Urging herself, Hitomi tried her best to meet her father's icy stare. "You are trying to run my life---our lives without even bothering to know how we feel or what we think about----"

In one flick of a second, Hitomi felt her father's rough hand land on her cheek. The harsh impact caused a spurt of blood to gush out from the side of her lip.

"Yuuji!" Natsumi and Varie called out in shock.

"Uncle!" Van abruptly stood up, taking Hitomi to his chest and wrapping a protective arm around her.

Goau Fanel took Yuuji by the arm. "Yuuji, calm yourself. You're hurting your own child."

"You have no right whatsoever to defy me, Hitomi!" Yuuji's voice reverberated in the room. "You can choose to obey us and live with it. Or you can just leave and forget being our daughter!" His chest was heaving with deep fury as he spoke the words.

Hearing this, Hitomi wailed off from Van's arms and sprinted for the door. It was way too much for her to bear. All she wanted and needed at the moment was to escape this one agonizing situation she had never wished to be under.

"Hitomi!" Van and Natsumi Kanzaki chimed in, calling out her name with deep worry permeating their voice.

* * *

"Leave me alone!" Hitomi was lying face down on top of her bed and stifling her sobs into her pillows when she heard someone enter her room after a few knocks. She wanted to mentally whack herself for forgetting to lock the door, much to her dismay.

She had ended up in her own bedroom after running off a whole block from Van's house. Since then, she had spent most of her time crying; her spirits plummeting with the depressing turn of her life from fine normalcy to ludicrous abnormality in the span of less than twenty-four hours. Under different circumstances, she would have laughed out loud just thinking about being married to Van, which she considered either an absolute joke or simply the most ridiculous idea anyone could think of. But no, the vagaries of fate had decided to turn against her; trapped her and left her with no option but to curse it and her misery. And the least she wanted right now was anyone's company.

Van's ears had almost gone deaf by Hitomi's shouting stunt. After the scene in their house, he thought he should follow her and he was thankful she had left the door to her room open, allowing him to easily follow her in. He was concerned about her. More so, he felt responsible for everything. He had never imagined things would turn out this bad. "Ey, Tomi, is that the way to treat your future husband?" He said teasingly, trying to lighten up her sullen mood.

"I said go away!" Hitomi screamed, pulling her pillow and throwing it at Van.

Luckily, Van caught the pillow just in time before it hit his face. What caught him off guard, though, was the small rounded alarm clock that Hitomi threw at him right after. It hit him squarely on the head.

"Ouch! That hurt! You better get up from that damn bed or I'll ---"

"Or you'll what?" Hitomi curtly interrupted, abruptly rolling up to her side.

Van's words were stuck in his throat the moment he saw Hitomi's face--- her left cheek was swollen, her lip bruised badly, and her eyes red and puffy. A strong impulse to offer her some sort of comfort built up inside him.

"Hitomi....." he walked up and sat down on the bed beside her.

"Just leave me alone, Van!" She hissed, but her eyes gleamed with surprise when, out of nowhere, Van's fingers gingerly touched her bruised lip.

"Did that hurt?" he asked gently.

Hitomi furrowed her brow. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Tomi. Tell me what I can do to make up for it, "he queried in a muttered voice. Then, as if in a trance, Van's lips reached Hitomi's in no less than a fraction of a second. It happened almost too quickly that Hitomi felt like a feather had brushed her lips instead of Van's kiss.

Dumbfounded, her gaze searched those pools of mahogany staring back at her in wide-eyed confusion. "I—---can't believe you just did that, Van..... What was that for?"

"I---I don't know. A comforting kiss, I guess...." He replied, unsure and less confident of his words.

"Yeah, right." Hitomi rolled her eyes, pulling a wry face.

But Van dismissed the matter as soon as he was able to push the doubts of his peculiar actions to the back of his mind, and immediately tried to change the subject to his advantage. "Listen, there's something I'd like you to know..... I've decided to break up with Celena....." He paused, and hesitantly went on. "And don't you think it would be better if you did the same with Dilandau?"

Hitomi stared at him as if he had suddenly gone mad. "WHAT??" Hitomi yelled in sudden anger.

"If we are to get married, I wouldn't want my wife having an affair behind my back, would I?" He continued on, seemingly not bothered a bit by Hitomi's violent reaction. "God forbid, but I'll kill you and that bastard with my bare hands if you continued to---"

"Don't give me that crap, Van Fanel. Who said I already agreed to marry you?" Hitomi retorted with scathing contempt.

"Well, as if you have a choice." Van snapped back.

"Will you stop your forsaken stubbornness for one minute, Van? I want to know why all of a sudden, you've become persistent about this whole marriage thing," Hitomi demanded.

"I just realized it would be for the best. You will not be a single mother if ever you become pregnant. In that way, your moral and dignity will stay intact. Among other things, I don't want to spite our parents anymore than we did this morning, Hitomi. "

"I thought so. You and your damn gallantry," Hitomi remarked in mocking sarcasm. She looked at him and shook her head. "But don't get your hopes up too high, Van. I STILL WON'T MARRY YOU!"

"And why not?"

"Plain and simple, 'coz I DON'T LOVE YOU," Hitomi answered sharply.

In stony silence, Van stared at her for what seemed like ages. His stiff expression after her statement told Hitomi that she had gone too far. However, what she had said was just the truth as far as she was concerned. Yes, she did care for him, but that was in a brotherly manner- a brotherly love. No more, no less. That isn't enough reason for her to marry him.

"Sometimes you amaze me, Hitomi." Van said rather dryly. "The way you react to certain circumstances that come your way..... You were always brave, always trying to prove your point, courageous even to a fault- but let me tell you one thing, there are times that you need to stoop down your pride, even for just a little, 'coz it would serve to be for your own good and the people around you." He finally stood up and headed for the door.

Hitomi couldn't find anything to say until she heard the soft click of the door closing behind him.

* * *

"VAN!"

Van was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Celena's soft cheerful voice and saw her sitting down beside him. He had asked her earlier to meet him here at the school track bleachers after class. And though he had seen the questioning look that flashed in her face, she had gladly conceded, which made him hate himself even more when he thought about the pain he was going to cause her. He didn't want to hurt her in any way. He loved her. He truly did. But he'd be damned if he didn't do what he was about to.

Lingering for a moment, his eyes took in the exquisite beauty of the girl that had dazzled and mesmerized him the first time they'd met. Classic features, soft mellow voice, and a matching simple elegance, were just the words that perfectly described her. Her face radiated that child-like innocence, with a sprinkle of fine femininity and subtleness that invoked in any man the desire to protect her from any harm. Amongst all, she was sweet, caring, and kind. _'She's Hitomi's exact opposite in so many ways,'_ Van thought as Hitomi's face suddenly crossed his mind.

Celena, on the other hand, was battling her own inner turmoil. "Well, uhmm before anything.....there's something I'd also like to tell you....." After a moment she added, "This thought has been bugging me these past few days....." she said helplessly, peering at his face. She sighed when she saw no reaction from Van, but rather a pensive expression, as if he were lost in another dimension. She figured he had barely heard a word she said. Waving her hand before his face, she tried to wake him up from his unknown spell. "Celena to Van. Van!"

"Huh? Celena..... "He replied, shaking his head and finally realizing that he was with Celena right now and not Hitomi.

"I've been meaning to tell you this for some time now, Van....." Celena began when she finally got his attention.

"Celena, I....."

"Uhmm, Van....."

"I think we better call it quits."

Van's jaw dropped while Celena seemed to freeze. "You what?" They chorused yet again. Both gazed at each other while their mouths were left agape; baffled as their minds seemed to be left off track. Then, after a moment of awkward silence, Van cocked back his head and burst out laughing. Celena found herself shrugging at how stupid both of them could get.

* * *

Hitomi, on the other far-end side of the school, was pacing right and left while waiting for Dilandau in the parking lot area. She had rehearsed her lines all afternoon, hoping Dilly wouldn't take the news badly and find it in his heart to forgive her. She knew that given the right words, he would understand the situation. He wasn't as bad as Van seemed to think. He could be blunt and reckless sometimes but he could also be gentle and kind. She had come to know who Dilandau really was for the past couple months that they'd been together, and Van was just a jerk to say such unpleasant things about him.

"Hitomi?"

Hitomi's heart hammered when she heard his deep voice behind her. She found herself ill at ease and immobilized by the sudden attack of nervousness. 'Well, this is it.' She heaved a deep breath before finally maneuvering herself to face his quizzical stare.

"Dilly, nice to see you here." Hitomi greeted, taking a glance at his handsome face.

Dilandau Albatou was the kind of guy every girl on campus would want to date. With his silver gray hair, fathomless ruby eyes, and refined good looks, Dilandau was the object of secret drooling and fanciful dreams of a great number of his opposite sex. He was cool, polished, and carried an air of wild charisma overflowing about him. Yet he didn't care one bit about it all. His 'shrug it off' attitude and seemingly unattainable status made him infinitely more desirable and attractive unbeknownst to him.

"Well, I thought you were waiting for me, by the looks of it." He remarked, surveying her anxious face, and then shifting his gaze at his red jaguar beside her. "Would you like to go anywhere?" he asked.

"No, I'd like it if we'd rather go for a walk," she replied feebly.

He gave her a puzzled look but didn't argue. "Okay. Besides, I need to talk to you about something else."

Hitomi didn't pay that much attention to his last words. She was more concerned about how she was going to tell him about everything that had happened since they'd parted last night, and the dilemma she was under right now.

They reached the pavement outside the parking lot when Dilandau suddenly took Hitomi's hand in a tight grip. Hitomi almost jumped in surprise.

Glancing sideways, Dilandau withdrew a breath. "Hitomi, I wanted to apologize for being a total moron last night. I know I pushed you too far. I'm sorry."

Hitomi gazed at him almost unbelievingly. And she was on the verge of killing herself when she saw the sincerity on his face. The feeling of unbearable guilt was choking her to death. How could she not when she should be the one asking for forgiveness for her being a 'magnificent cheat.' She would gladly accept it if he would just execute her right now or burn her alive.

"Last night, I stayed up late thinking about us, and I've realized I wouldn't be good enough for you. Not ever."

His statement almost caused her to lose her balance and trip. She was thankful Dilandau was still holding her hand. Hitomi watched him in disturbing disbelief, as if her sense of hearing had malfunctioned in the direst of times. She couldn't believe the sudden turn of events.

".....Our differences are too extreme. While I'm Mr. Renegade, you're Ms. Prim and Proper. You live by the rules while I love breaking them. Besides, I think...." He hesitated for a minute. Dilandau continued, not daring to peer at her reaction. "I think we never did really love each other in the first place."

Hitomi's eyes went wide. "And why is that?"

"You just found me interesting and weird, I guess. You saw me as a charity ward that needed some parental discipline- which you took upon yourself. While I took you as a kind of challenge. Forgive me, but I'm positive about this," Dilandau explained.

Hitomi was greatly humiliated. However, the memory of the first time they encountered each other automatically replayed in her mind, as if her brain perceived her need for an assurance that what he was saying was true.

Dilandau had been sent into the guidance counseling office for scaring the hell out of the whole school when he'd played a trick of burning his test papers and setting it near the fire alarm system in the boy's comfort room. It had caused a state of panic in all corners of the school, and the principal would have expelled him if not for the influence of his father, Jajuka, after knowing it was but a stupid false alarm. Hitomi had been there in the counseling room, working as student assistant then. She had witnessed Dilandau being lectured and scolded by the principal and guidance counselor for his misbehavior, while he remained calm and passive- his eyes meeting hers the whole time, instead. They took interest in one another and the rest is history. Dilandau became Hitomi's first real boyfriend after less than a week of unorthodox courtship.

As much as Hitomi refused to admit, the harsh reality of Dilandau's words were beginning to take root in her mind. Yet, for him to regard her as merely a quest for adventure; she couldn't accept that. "Me? A challenge? How dare you? "She asked indignantly.

"Hitomi, don't be mad. Take it as a compliment." He said arrogantly, "You're the first girl I've met who has some real sense in her head- unlike all the others around me. I thought I could change my rebel self when I dated you, but I found out later I didn't want to change. I'm just happy the way I am."

Understanding slowly dawned on Hitomi and she actually admired Dilandau for his bluntness in telling her all this.

"You're a remarkable girl, Tomi. Really you are. But I'm not your match, and you're not my match, either. "He said with emphasis.

Hitomi sighed. "So this is goodbye then?"

"We could still be friends. That is, if you'll have me," he teased, offering her his right hand.

"Alright. Friends," she agreed, accepting his offer of friendship with a rueful smile.

* * *

"I hope you'll be happy, Van. I wish I could meet Hitomi to congratulate her myself." Celena said after almost an hour of talking with him. They had finally come to terms with each other and ended up being friends. They had explained the reasons why they both wanted to end their relationship. She understood his reasons for having to marry another girl, even though he really didn't plan on cheating on her. He, too, understood her need to have space from his protective, if not possessive, kind of treatment as her boyfriend. Everything was rightfully patched up.

"Well, in that case, I'm going to invite you to our wedding. I could even ask Hitomi to have you as one of her bridesmaids." Van's mahogany eyes beamed with delight at the thought.

"That would be nice." Celena smiled warmly.

"I wish you'll find happiness too, Celena. You deserve that. You're one special girl and you'll always stay special for me," Van said solemnly, holding both her hands. "Can I have one last request before we part?"

"Sure, anything."

"Can I hug you one last time?" He asked, taking a step closer to her.

"Of course, Van." She answered, softness yielding in her blue eyes.

Van placed his arms around her in a tenderly manner, and took her in closely to his chest.

They were vaguely unaware that a pair of fury-filled eyes was watching them from far below the track field.

* * *

**A/n:** Sorry for the long wait minna. But I just finished all of my exams last week and I really had one terrible time. Well, I just hope all my efforts paid off (-.-9). Wheww! Really glad exams were over. I can finally get to update my stories. Thus a new chapter of A Shotgun Wedding. Hope u like this folks!

**Dedications:** MaboroshiTsuki:: I'm glad u like my story! I felt really pleased and wonderful when I read your review And also to Kisakino Ookami, vegetasprincess1, Niffer, cutesweetheart11, SabineballZ, and Avelyn Lauren. Thanks a lot!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Escaflowne

**Next chapter:** Wedding Jitters

Ja ne! Please don't forget to review! .


	4. Wedding Jitters

**Chapter 4: Wedding Jitters**

"How I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! "

"What's up?" a dark-haired teenage boy asked his tear-stricken twin sister, who arrived blowing her nose into a handkerchief. He gave her a glance and went back to reading his favorite comic book while lying lousily on the sofa in their living room.

"It's Van and that damn girl, Celena!" she answered furiously, a scowl on her pretty face.

"Well, what about them?" His brows were twitching in puzzlement though his eyes were still glued on the awesome characters of X-men.

"I saw them! They were hugging! Tightly hugging! I saw them with my two eyes!" she explained exasperatedly, her hands flying everywhere.

"It's natural. Celena is Van's latest girl. Didn't you know?" the boy looked at her like she had come from another planet.

"I know that you idiot! That's why I'm furious!" Then, as if talking to herself, she muttered, "When will Van ever realize that I'm the right girl for him? "Sadness and despair laced her voice, replacing the anger caused by the incident she had happened to witness in the track field an hour ago.

The teenage boy smirked. "Dream on, sister! Van will NEVER ever notice you! I bet you'll grow an old lady, patiently waiting and waiting still. So I suggest you'd better just forget about your obsessive nonsense with him."

But she didn't seem to hear his words of discouragement. His sister had always been hard-headed. "Maybe I should just seduce him, what do you think? " She said, rather in desperation.

"I give up! You're hopeless!"

"I'm just a girl in love!"

"In love? Crazy is the more proper word, don't you think?" He said in sarcasm.

The girl answered by throwing her bag at him. But the boy was able to avoid that. He made a face and stuck out his tongue at her. In wild annoyance, the girl picked up the crystalline vase on the end table with one hand, ready to throw the vase worth a thousand bucks at his brother when......

"Mamoru, Meruru!" Natsumi Kanzaki hissed, interrupting her children's 'little scene' before they actually hurt each other- and before another one of her priceless collections of glassware turned to pieces.

"Mom!" Mamoru and Meruru chimed in surprise.

"When will you two ever stop bickering and stop turning the whole house into a battlefield of broken pieces of furniture?"

"It's Meruru's fault, Mom!" Mamoru pointed a finger at his sister.

"Me? You're the one who said such mean things to me!" She said in defiance, tilting her head arrogantly.

"I didn't! I was just telling the truth, as far as I'm concerned!"

"Oh yes you did! You badmouthing two-headed snake!"

"Enough! You two will give me a hypertension or worse, a heart attack, if you won't stop at this very minute!" Natsumi yelled, causing the two teenagers to shut their mouths and settle for glaring daggers at each other.

When she thought everything was under control, she sat on the nearest sofa chair and heaved deep breaths. "Now, I have some news to tell both of you."

"What is it, Mom?" Mamoru asked concernedly, seeing the strained look on her mother's face.

"Your sister, Hitomi, is getting married." She answered flatly. "To Van Fanel."

"WHAT!" Meruru exclaimed, the crystalline vase, which she was still holding, slipped from her hands and made a loud crashing noise. She was staring at her mom in incredulous horror.

* * *

Three knocks and the door to Hitomi's room opened with a scandalous banging against the wall.

"How could you, Hitomi! How could you!" Meruru screamed the moment she entered the room.

Hitomi, who was in the act of changing her clothes, was stunned. "What? What did I do?"

"You stole Van from me! Why? Of all people, why the love of my life?" Meruru was almost on the verge of bursting into wild violent sobs.

"Meruru....." Understanding of her sister's bizarre actions quickly dawned on Hitomi. Her siblings had been told of her forthcoming doomed-to-failure marriage with Van. She was becoming increasingly despondent about the way things were going. First, Dilandau had broken up with her. And now she was being subjected to her sister's ire of breaking her heart.

She had known Meruru's feelings for Van ever since Meruru had reached her puberty stage and began to take interest in Van. That soon became a sickening full-fledged obsession. She literally believed that she and Van were meant for each other, and she had done all possible things to catch his attention. But Van, who was so dense of a guy in Hitomi's opinion, seemed oblivious to all her sister's hero worship of him.

She looked at Meruru's puffy red eyes. Her sister had grown to be very pretty, especially with those long lashes, accentuating her big deep ocean-blue pools. Her hair was a bit pinkish, but it didn't lessen her charm at all. At thirteen, she knew boys in Meruru's school were swarming around her little sister. And that fact also applied with her little brother, Mamoru.

Mamoru was raven-haired like Van and his eyes were of deep crimson. His appeal to girls his age was so unbelievably great that his drawers were practically filled with mushy love letters from his admirers. It was kind of alarming. She just hoped her brother wouldn't turn out to be a too-confident-self-absorbed playboy kind of guy when he got older.

Albeit they were twins, their differences were like oil and water not only in appearance but in their behavior as well. Meruru was the serious, self-assured, bookish type, while Mamoru was the happy-go-lucky, flamboyant, and carefree kind. They only agreed on one thing alone. And that was to make sure they made each other's lives miserable by their non-stop squabbling and arguing over nonsensical things. Well, maybe given their age and immaturity, it was just normal, after all they were twins. But sometimes their fights could get so annoying; she and her parents would wish they would just grow up. And fast.

"I hate you, Hitomi! You're my sister but you have the nerve to do this to me?" Meruru's upset voice pulled Hitomi's thoughts back to the present.

"Will you stop it? For the record, I don't even want to get married to Van in the first place. Our parents are just forcing us into it!" Hitomi exploded, her patience with her had already reached its limit, "So don't barge in here again, telling me how hurt and angered you are because of my breaking your fragile heart, little sister!"

"I'll never talk to you again ever! And I hope you suffer!" Meruru shouted before turning her back and marching out of the room.

"Well, I'm suffering right now!" Hitomi shouted back.

* * *

Two months later.....

"Yukari! I- I can't do this! I can't marry Van!" Hitomi said agonizingly, slumping down on the bed. She was in the confines of Yukari's bedroom, watching the latest DVD release of The Matrix Reloaded. But she didn't care one bit about the movie at all... unlike her friend, who was all eyes on the t.v set.

"Look at him, isn't he gorgeous? I would give anything just so I could replace Trinity in that scene. Gosh!!!" Yukari squealed girlishly, pointing at the TV where Neo and Trinity were passionately kissing each other.

Hitomi flinched in mortification. Sometimes she loathed her friend's die-hard admiration over that Hollywood actor, Keannu Reeves. And die-hard meant a hard-core, true-blue fan that every single space on her bedroom's wall was pinned with the actor's posters. Not to mention the wide collection of his movies in both videos and DVDs filling a huge shelf she had in her room. She even promised herself that she would see the handsome actor in person someday by hook or by crook. Which Hitomi found to be an unadulterated foolishness, if not a crazy quirk, or some sort of terrible fetishism.

"Are you listening to me, Yukari?" she asked in annoyance. When she saw Yukari was still transfixed over Keanu, she stood up and turned off the forsaken television. "There. Maybe you'll give me some of your attention now."

"Hitomi!!!" Yukari protested, stretching out the word in chagrin.

"Yukari!!!" Hitomi mimicked her friend with the same tone.

"What's the problem?" she asked, deeply puzzled.

"Van! Van is my problem!"

"Goodness, Hitomi, your wedding is next week. You're not thinking of jilting Van right in front of the altar, are you?" The red-haired sixteen year old girl, who was Hitomi's best friend among the girls department, said disapprovingly.

"Oh, I don't know." Hitomi answered feebly.

Yukari stood up and put her hands on Hitomi's shoulders. "Just relax. Breathe! You're just having some wedding jittery thing if you ask me. You'll get over it, trust me," she said reassuringly.

"I can't relax, Yukari. You know, I think this is a mistake. I don't love him, and I don't want to marry him," she reasoned.

"Well, Van seemed like he thought otherwise. Van is your best friend. Imagine, you're marrying a person you've known for like, entirely your whole life. Isn't that something?"

"Yukari....." Hitomi was still doubtful.

"Don't do anything foolish, Hitomi. Don't you dare run away from your wedding. Everything is all set. " Yukari warned, her index finger moving right and left.

"Honestly, I've been thinking about it. It's just that I'm not ready for marriage. I'm too young for it."

"Hitomi!" Yukari yelled in shock. "Think about your family and Van's too. I know you're a responsible girl, Hitomi."

"No.....no.....It was just a thought, Yukari. I don't have the courage to do it. Really." Hitomi stated, but her eyes weren't meeting her friend's.

"Promise?" Yukari asked.

"Promise."

"Okay. Now let's continue watching Keanu's latest movie." The red-head grinned with delight and satisfaction.

"Yukari! You've seen that movie for like a hundred times already! Please!" But Hitomi could do nothing more but sigh when her friend was once again totally and helplessly absorbed in Keannu's exuding sex appeal and magnetism.

* * *

Hitomi drew a steadying breath. _'It's now or never.'_ She readied herself and then finally jumped out of her window. Luckily, she landed right on her two feet with no broken ribs, bones, or any injury of the sort. She breathed a sigh of relief. 'Perfect.'

The night was unnervingly cold. The moon was emitting a dull kind of glow and she could hardly see anything on her path. But she wasn't going to back out now. She had already planned this out. All she had left to do was go outside and meet Dilly. _'He must be waiting for me at this time,' _Hitomi told herself, looking at her luminous watch, exactly 12:00 o' clock, it revealed.

But just as she was about to walk to the gates of their house.....

"Just where do you think you're going, Hitomi?" a brooding voice called from behind her. Hitomi stiffened and froze in her tracks. She was dead sure who it was.

* * *

**A/n:** Some of you guys might be wondering, but yes, Meruru is Merle in this story. I kind of adopted her Japanese name in the series. And I made her Hitomi's sister unlike Van's that was usually the case in some fics. I just wanted to divert a little from those. I hope you don't find it a bit odd. Well, so this is the fourth chapter. Thanks for reading! And don't forget to review! Ja ne!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Escaflowne

**Coming Chapter:** Here Comes the Bride


	5. Here Comes the Bride

**Chapter 5: Here Comes the Bride**

"Where do you think you're going, Hitomi? Mind telling me?"

Hitomi froze. She knew by that instant who owned that brooding voice. Cautiously, she turned around and hid her duffel bag behind her back in a futile gesture of not exposing her plan.

"Van! What are you doing here at this time of the night?" Hitomi asked, feigning innocence, and at the same time faintly ignoring his inquiry.

"Where are you going at this time of the night?" He mocked in sarcasm.

"Well...Uhmm... I'm going to the school track field. Practice..." She uttered the only feasible explanation that came into mind, hoping with all her might that Van would believe her. After all, she had been in the track team all her high school life and there was a competition due in the coming month. Van knew that.

"Is that so, huh? Tell me the truth, Hitomi." Van's brows were still knitted in a frown.

"That's the truth. Why are you here, anyway?" She snapped back.

"Your brother told me he heard you talking to Dilandau on the phone, reminding him to pick you up at 12 on the dot. What did that mean?" He probed.

Hitomi gasped. 'That brat, I'll get him for this,' she mumbled curtly.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Dilandau is going to pick me up because I asked him to accompany me while I practice. "

"Forget about Dilandau. I'm going with you instead, and don't you dare say otherwise." Van said in the firm tone he always used when trying to reprimand Hitomi. "Besides, I've something to give you," he mumbled almost shyly, but Hitomi failed to notice.

"Alright! But I have to call Dilly first,"Hitomi insisted. When she saw the disapproval on Van's face, she added harshly, "No call; no going with me!"

"Okay. Five minutes." Van agreed reluctantly.

Hitomi swished forth her duffel bag from behind her and quickly fumbled inside for her cell phone. When she was able to find it in a matter of minutes, she pressed the memory button and held it between her cheek and her right ear. All the while, Van watched her actions with growing irritability.

Hitomi stomped her foot impatiently as the phone kept ringing. When Dilandau finally picked up, she demanded, "Where are you?" She turned to her back for Van not to hear their conversation.

"Hitomi, is that you?" Dilandau asked, his voice laced with sleepiness.

"Yes. Who did you expect? We're supposed to meet at 12 midnight here at my place, remember?" she reminded.

"I'm here outside your gate, Tomi. I've been waiting for like an eternity, you know?" Dilandau answered in annoyance.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Hitomi shamefully muttered an apology.

"What's keeping you?"

"A problem just came up while I was on my way out. Van's here, Dilly," she said in a worried tone.

"Van? What's he doing there?"

"Apparently, my little spoiled brat of a brother informed him that he heard us talking about meeting up here. Now Van wants to go with me. I said to him I was just going to the school track field to practice."

"What if we just abandon the plan, Hitomi?" Dilandau suggested.

"Dilly! We can't!" Hitomi fiercely objected.

"Well, maybe we can do it some other time then. I'm really sleepy."

"If we can't do it now, we can never do it. The wedding is only a week away. I can't get married to Van, Dilandau." Helplessness and anxiety were in Hitomi's voice as she spoke the words.

"What good will running away do, Hitomi?"

"I just found out this morning that I'm pregnant." Hitomi was choking back the tears that had started welling up in her eyes. She was waiting for Dilly's answer when someone rudely grabbed the phone from her hand.

"You can go to hell for all I care, Dilandau! Go home and never bother us again!" Van shouted, wild anger visible on his face.

Hitomi was in shock- concerned that Van had heard her last words. When she regained her composure and figured he hadn't, she snatched back the phone from him and eyed him angrily. "Dilly, don't listen to Van. Wait for me, I'm coming out."

"What are you doing?" Van's angry gaze fastened on Hitomi's face. Hitomi secretly flinched from his ominous expression, but she willed herself to stand brave against him.

"To tell you frankly and honestly, I'm running away. And there's nothing you can do to stop me." She held her head high.

"Oh yeah? Well, then try me." Van said with gritted teeth.

Hitomi's eyes moved swiftly, measuring the distance between where she was standing and the front gate. She could easily make a run for it. 'I'm not the school's best runner for nothing,' she thought.

But before she could do anything, Van reached for her and held her arms so tight, it hurt.

"Don't even think about it." Van's grim face forbade a coming disaster.

"Let me go." Hitomi struggled to break free, but to no avail. "I said, let me go, Van!" Hitomi kicked his leg and caught Van by surprise. When he did loosen his grip, Hitomi hurriedly pushed him away with a fierceness that made Van almost stumble to the ground. She quickly ran past him. When she was finally out of the gate, she recognized Dilandau's car on the other side of the street, and made her way toward it. The door to the passenger's side swung open and she immediately tucked herself in. Dilandau ignited the engine, shoved at the clutch, and stepped on the gearshift as soon as Hitomi was inside the car.

Hitomi looked back and saw something that triggered a guilty feeling inside her. Something she hoped she never saw.

With the aid of the light coming from the lamp post, she saw the defeated look on Van's face before Dilandau's red jaguar stormed in full speed.

Van was left standing in the middle of the street, with only the thick black smoke that billowed from Dilandau's car swirling up in the air.

"You will regret this, Hitomi. You will."

* * *

"Do you honestly believe this is the best way to deal with the matter, Hitomi?" Dilandau asked the girl sitting beside him. They ended up obscurely in the school track field after almost an hour of driving, with really no direction to go.

"I really don't know." Hitomi whispered.

"You told me you're pregnant. And I was likely to think that Van's the father, because you and I both know that we didn't go far beyond brushing our lips and holding hands. Now, tell me after all the things you revealed to me about this 'accident' between you and Van, why in heaven's name do you want to run away, Hitomi? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Van should be the one running away, not you," the albino queried. He couldn't see the reasoning behind Hitomi's actions.

Hitomi remained silent with her eyes cast downwards, feeling rotten as she thought of the way she had treated Van. The only thing he wanted was to save her reputation and her family's pride. All the while, she had only been thinking about herself and her nonsensical objection over this marriage. She hadn't even bothered to ask what Van felt; whether he truly wanted to marry her or if he was feeling trapped out of responsibility.

In return for his self-sacrifice and kindness, she had just abandoned him and their upcoming wedding with not much of a reason. She was young to be getting married and getting pregnant, yes; only seventeen. However, she wasn't the only girl who had this kind of experience in their teenage life. She was even luckier compared to the others, because the man who had gotten her pregnant was willing to marry her. She didn't love him, no. It may be a ridiculous idea at the moment but who knows, someday she might learn to love him- after all, Van was handsome, likeable, kind, thoughtful, responsible, and...loving? Maybe. She could go on and on, enumerating his traits, but the most important thing was that he was her best friend. She had known him since time immemorial and the same went with him. Maybe that would be reason enough for them to try and get their marriage work out... at least for the sake of the baby.

The baby. The life that was growing inside her. She was having mixed emotions about being mother and all - scared, terrified, happy, excited. She knew now, before the baby was even born, that she and Van would be good parents to their child.

Hitomi was seeing everything now from a different perspective, as if some hard rock had suddenly been hammered against her head. She realized that everything may not be as bad as she thought things would turn out to be. She had thought then that she was marrying Van for all the wrong reasons, but now, those reasons might be all the right ones she has.

"Maybe I made a mistake, Dilandau. I shouldn't have done this."

Dilandau snapped his head back to Hitomi when he heard the words she had spoken. He recognized the silent apology and regret underlying her tone.

"Please take me back home," she pleaded.

* * *

The car pulled to a stop right in front of the Kanzaki's house.

"Will you be alright?" he asked concernedly.

"Yes. I hope so. Please come to my wedding, Dilly. I really want you to be there."

"Sure, I'll come. Just make sure Van won't throw me out of the church, "he said with a grin.

Hitomi smiled and gave Dilandau a peck on the cheek. "Thank you." She opened the passenger door and got out. She waved a goodbye and Dilandau's car again stormed through the street.

Hitomi took a deep breath and walked toward the gate.

"What made you change your mind, Hitomi?"

Hitomi almost jumped out of fear when she turned around and came face to face with Van. _'All the while, he was waiting here for me?'_ she thought.

"Van, you're still here?"

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, Hitomi. I wasn't waiting for you to come back. I did some thinking, that's why," Van said quietly.

Hitomi didn't know where the sudden tinge of disappointment came from when he mentioned that he hadn't waited for her, but she pushed it out of her mind. "What were you thinking, then?"

"I was thinking maybe you're right. Maybe getting married with each other isn't really the best option we should make." Van's eyes pierced Hitomi's face.

"What?" Hitomi asked in surprise.

"You heard me right. I will tell Mom first thing in the morning to cancel the wedding. You're free to do whatever you want. After all, that's why you ran away, right? You didn't want this marriage. Oh, I'm sorry, not want- you loathe this marriage. Well, so do I!" He said sardonically. "So not to make this any harder for the both of us, let's call off the wedding." Van's stony expression didn't change a bit.

"Van, I'm pregnant," Hitomi said in an unprecedented manner.

"You're what?" Van seemed to have choked in shock.

"I'm pregnant. Have you gone deaf?"

"Don't kid me, Hitomi." His voice was still doubtful. He looked at her for a long time, as if to make sure she wasn't just bluffing. God, her revelation just turned his world upside down. He was going to be a father!

"Who said I'm kidding?"

"Why did you come back in the first place? Didn't you just run away with that scum bag, Dilandau?" Van still couldn't shake off the anger that came flooding with the memory of that scene just a while ago- Hitomi running away from him, and meeting the love of her life, while he stood paralyzed and helpless.

"Well, am I not entitled to get a little fickle-minded sometimes? I'm pregnant. Maybe it's the hormones." Hitomi reasoned.

"So, in that case, the wedding will..."

"I will marry you, Van, even just for the sake of the baby."

"Just for the sake of the baby...You don't have to worry. I understand that, crystal clear," Van said sarcastically, starting to walk off the street.

Then, as if he remembered something, he turned around, "I forgot. Here, catch." He threw, in Hitomi's direction, a certain small box. After seeing Hitomi caught it, he continued walking, and didn't bother to look at her reaction when she opened it and saw a glimmering diamond ring inside.

"Van..." Hitomi couldn't find any other words to say.

* * *

_A week later..._

The whole church was silent as everyone watched, with awe and admiration, the bride walk down the aisle toward the altar and the waiting groom. She was young, yet her beauty was eminent in every way possible. Draped in a simple, soft, strapless, ivory-white gown that hugged her torso and flared down from her small waist, extending to the floor, Hitomi was an utterly amazing sight to behold. A crown of white lilies was on her hair, holding the long silky veil covering her face. This was accompanied with matching elbow-length gloves that made her look like a princess. A splendid pearl choker lay against her throat, complementing her gown perfectly. She was holding a bouquet of white tulips in her hand, adding to the overall enchanting effect of her beauty.

At the far end beside the altar was Van, who was undeniably handsome in his three-piece white tuxedo suit. Though he wasn't a bit concerned by how he looked and the way girls around him secretly drooled over his appearance. He was busy watching his bride, caught off-guard by her serene beauty and her luminous green eyes.

_'She's beautiful. The most beautiful bride I've ever seen. And she's marrying me,'_ he thought and felt himself grow impatient for the ceremony to end.

As the bride finally reached the groom, Hitomi's father handed her over to Van, whom she noticed was wearing a serious look on his face; she could barely read what was running in his mind. Van took her hand and led her to the altar.

The wedding vows of Van Slanzar Fanel and Hitomi Iris Kanzaki finally began.

* * *

**A/n: **Hello minna! Sorry for the delay of this chapter. Hope you all like it anyhow. Thanks for those who reviewed the past chapters. You guys really inspired me.

**Dedications:**

Maboroshi Tsuki:as always, I love reading your reviews. Thank you very much! About your question, no I haven't seen yet the drama but I would love to

Esca-lover:Yay! You reviewed my fic! I'm so happy blushes thank you! You and Anne (MT) are really one of those writers whom I really admired. And I'm so glad that you found time to read and review my story.

Kisakino Ookami: Thank you for always reading and reviewing my fics.

snow blossoms: Thanks a lot! Continue with your first fic, it's really good.

elenasun:thank you! I hope you'll also like this chappie.

hitomi-chan: whew! I'm glad you like my story.

Avelyn Lauren: here is the new chappie. I hope you will like this though. ;

Niffer: Thank you for the compliment blushes .

And to Silver Goddess1, banryuu and reader, thank you so much for reading! I hope you guys won't stop giving me your thoughts about this story, your comments really do help me a lot!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Escaflowne


End file.
